A spotlight on dosage and subject selection for effective neuroprotection: exploring the central role of mitochondria

Neurons are notoriously vulnerable cell types.Even the slightest change in their internal and/or external environments will cause much distress and dysfunction,leading often to their death.A range of pathological conditions,including stroke,head trauma,and neurodegenerative disease,can generate stress in neurons,affecting their survival and proper function.In most neural pathologies,mitochondria become dysfunctional and this plays a pivotal role in the process of cell death.The challenge over the last few decades has been to develop effective interventions that improve neuronal homeostasis under pathological conditions.Such interventions,often referred to as disease-modifying or neuroprotective,have,however,proved frustratingly elusive,at both preclinical and,in particular,clinical levels.In this perspective,we highlight two factors that we feel are key to the development of effective neuroprotective treatments.These are:firstly,the choice of dose of intervention and method of application,and secondly,the selection of subjects,whether they be patients or the animal model.

Effect of gene dosage and incubation temperature on production of β-mannanase by recombinant Pichia pastoris

High-level expression ofβ-mannanase has been reported in Pichia pastoris under control of the GAP promoter.Two factors that strongly influence protein production and fermentation process development in Pichia pastoris protein expression system are gene dosage and cultivation temperature.The aim of this research was to improve the expression level ofβ-mannanase in Pichia pastoris by proper increasing the gene dosage and decreasing the culture temperature.To this end,a panel of strains harboring different copy numbers ofβ-mannanase gene were obtained by multiple zeocin concentration gradients screening,the influence of gene copy number on the expression ofβ-mannanase in Pichia pastoris X33 was investigated.With the constitutive GAP promoter,the four copies strain exhibited a 4.04-fold higherβ-mannanase yield and a 1.83-fold higher total secretion proteins than the one copy strain,but an increase of the copy number above four resulted in a decrease of expression.Furthermore,the effects of culture temperature were studied in flask.The decreased culture temperature of four copies strain resulted in a 1.8-fold(26℃)and 3.5-fold(22℃)higherβ-mannanase activity compared to that at 30℃.A fed-batch strategy was successfully used for high cell-density fermentation andβ-mannanase activity reached 2124 U/mL after cultivation for 72 h in a 5 L fermenter.

Effects of SSA Dosages on Seedling Quality and Yield by Mechanical Transplanting

[Objective] The aim was to research the influence of gradient dosages of seedling-strengthening agent （SSA） on rice seedling quality and yield. [Method] The influence of four dosages of SSA on late rice seedling quality and yield was investi- gated, using Oryza sativa cv. Yongyou 9 and Huanghuazhan as test materials. [Re- sult] The results showed that applying SSA significantly increased several indexes of seedling quality including the leaf age, basal stem width and dry matter weight. In addition, SSA greatly increased the rice yield, mainly through influencing two yield component factors, effective panicle number and grain number per panicle. [Conclu- sion] SSA was beneficial to nurse strong seedling which satisfied mechanical trans- plant and improve yield. Considered both seedling quality and yield trait, the optimal SSA dosage is 50 g/m2 under this cultivating condition.

Development of a microcomposite with single-walled carbon nanotubes and Nd_2O_3 for determination of paracetamol in pharmaceutical dosage by adsorptive voltammetry

This study presents for the first time a new composite of carbon paste(CP), single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs) and Nd2 O3(NdOX). This versatile composite(NdOX-SWCNT/CPE) was applied to the oxidation of paracetamol(PCM). The newly formed surface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS) and cyclic voltammetry(CV). The results showed greater conductivity and a higher surface area for the composite than those of the carbon paste alone. Moreover, the anodic peak currents for PCM increased from 1.6 to 3.6 m A with CPE and NdOXSWCNT/CPE, indicating an increase of nearly 51.0% for the anodic peak current. On the other hand, the anodic peak potentials shifted from 0.67 to 0.57 V. The detection limits were 0.05 mmol/L with NdOXSWCNT/CPE and 0.50 mmol/L with SWCNT/CPE. The relative standard deviations(RSDs) were 1.5%(n=7). The accuracy and interference of the methods were evaluated with a urine chemistry control spiked with known quantities of PCM, uric acid, dopamine, ascorbic acid, caffeine, acetylsalicylic acid,tartrazine, sunset yellow, allure red, rutin, morin and metal ions. Finally, the novelty and usefulness of the composite were evaluated to quantify PCM in pharmaceutical dosage forms such as tablets, powders and syrups for children.

Improving Flow Property of Nifedipine Loaded Solid-Lipid Nanoparticles by Means of Silica for Oral Solid Dosage Form

In this study, a new formulation of silica nanocomposite containing nifedipine (NI) loaded freeze-dried solid-lipid nanoparticles (NI-SLNs) and silica have been developed with improved flowability of powders, which can lead to the formulation of a widely acceptable oral dosage form. The stable NI-SLNs were prepared using two phospholipids, hydrogenated soybean phosphatidylcholine and dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol mixed with 2.5% w/v trehalose as a cryoprotectant followed by lyophilization. We employed various grades of two types of silica, such as fumed and precipitated. Silica improved the poor flow property of NI-SLNs to good category as per USP-29. In addition, most of the silica nanocomposites showed the satisfactory results in their physicochemical properties such as particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, and recovered potency by around 100 nm, 0.3, -50 mV, and 80%, respectively. Furthermore, it was found that NI-SLNs were easily released form nanocomposites within 30 min, therefore, suggesting an improvement of drug dissolutions. Among them, precipitated silica cooperated fairly in improving the powder characteristics as well as the physicochemical, morphological, and pharmaceutical properties.

Vitamin D and selenium for type 2 diabetes mellitus with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis:Dosage and duration insights

This letter discusses the publication by Feng et al.Iodine,selenium,and vitamin D are closely associated with thyroid hormone production in humans;however,the efficacy of selenium and vitamin D supplementation for type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis(HT)remains controversial.In the retrospective study we discuss herein,the authors highlighted significant improvements in thyroid function,thyroid antibodies,blood glucose,and blood lipid in T2DM patients with HT following addition of vitamin D and selenium to their antidiabetic regimens,underscoring the value of these supplements.Our team is currently engaged in research exploring the relationship between micronutrients and HT,and we have obtained invaluable insights from the aforementioned study.Based on this research and current literature,we recommend a regimen of 4000 IU/day of vitamin D and 100-200μg/day of selenium for over three months to six months for patients with HT,particularly for those with concurrent T2DM.

Exploration of standard dosage for GnRH antagonist protocol and dosage adjustments after premature luteinizing hormone surge

The gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol has emerged as an efficacious alternative to the GnRH agonist protocol for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) during in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, and has been demonstrated applicability in infertile female patients with diverse ovarian responses. While the clinical implementation of the antagonist COH protocol has achieved widespread consensus, opportunities for refinement persist. Therefore, this review article focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of GnRH antagonist protocol, the selection of optimal standard doses, and the strategies for adjusting antagonist doses after the premature luteinizing hormone (LH) surge, aiming to provide more reasonable and scientific recommendations for the application of this scheme.

Comparative evaluation of artificial intelligence systems'accuracy in providing medical drug dosages:A methodological study

BACKGROUND Medication errors,especially in dosage calculation,pose risks in healthcare.Artificial intelligence(AI)systems like ChatGPT and Google Bard may help reduce errors,but their accuracy in providing medication information remains to be evaluated.AIM To evaluate the accuracy of AI systems(ChatGPT 3.5,ChatGPT 4,Google Bard)in providing drug dosage information per Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine.METHODS A set of natural language queries mimicking real-world medical dosage inquiries was presented to the AI systems.Responses were analyzed using a 3-point Likert scale.The analysis,conducted with Python and its libraries,focused on basic statistics,overall system accuracy,and disease-specific and organ system accuracies.RESULTS ChatGPT 4 outperformed the other systems,showing the highest rate of correct responses(83.77%)and the best overall weighted accuracy(0.6775).Disease-specific accuracy varied notably across systems,with some diseases being accurately recognized,while others demonstrated significant discrepancies.Organ system accuracy also showed variable results,underscoring system-specific strengths and weaknesses.CONCLUSION ChatGPT 4 demonstrates superior reliability in medical dosage information,yet variations across diseases emphasize the need for ongoing improvements.These results highlight AI's potential in aiding healthcare professionals,urging continuous development for dependable accuracy in critical medical situations.

Dosage and utilization of dexamethasone in the management of COVID-19: A critical review

BACKGROUND The severe respiratory manifestations observed in severe coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)cases are often associated with an excessive inflammatory response.Dexamethasone,a synthetic glucocorticoid,exerts its anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the transcription of pro-inflammatory genes and suppressing the activity of various immune cells.This mechanism has implications for mitigating the cytokine storm observed in severe COVID-19 cases.Early on in the pandemic,the Recovery Collaborative working group showed a mortality benefit of using dexamethasone in decreasing mortality in patients with COVID-19 requiring respiratory support.However,the optimal dosage of corticosteroids remains debatable.Several studies that compare different doses of dexamethasone in COVID-19 exist,but the results are conflicting.AIM To review the latest evidence regarding dosage,safety,and efficacy of dexamethasone in severe COVID-19.METHODS We followed preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis guidelines.A detailed literature search was conducted across PubMed,Google Scholar,and Medline to include publications up to March 2024.Our keywords included“COVID-19”“SARS-CoV-2”“dexamethasone”“corticosteroid”“steroid”and“glucocorticoid”-along with their combinations.We employed the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale to evaluate the integrity and potential of bias in the included studies.A meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model,assessing pooled odds ratios and mean differences,with heterogeneity gauged by the I2 statistic and theχ^(2) tests.RESULTS No statistical differences were found in 28-day all-cause mortality[pooled odds ratio(OR)=1.109,95%CI:0.918-1.340],60-day all-cause mortality(OR=0.873,95%CI:0.744-1.024;I2=47.29%),mean length of hospital stay(mean difference=-0.08 days,95%CI:-0.001 to 0.161)and adverse events(OR=0.877,95%CI:0.707-1.087).CONCLUSION Differing doses of corticosteroids have no clinical implications on mortality,mean length of hospital stay,and adverse events in COVID-19 patients.Additional research is required in patients requiring invasive or noninvasive ventilation.

Dosage Formula in Anesthesia for Manual Intrauterine Aspiration Post-Abortion in Resource-Limited Settings

Setting: Provincial General Reference Hospital of Bukavu, General Reference Hospital of Panzi, General Reference Hospital of Ciriri, General Reference Hospital of Nyatende and Biopharm Hospital Center. Objective: Contribute to the improvement of the anesthetic ECP of patients benefiting from MVA for incomplete abortion, Describe the methodology used for adoption of the dosage formula in Anesthesia for MVA, present the mathematical demonstration leading to the dosage formula in anesthesia for MVA. Materials and Methods: Our study was descriptive by mathematical demonstration of obtaining the equilibrium constant of the dosage formula of bipuvacaine 0.1% and Fentanyl 50 µg% adapted to the weight and specific size of patients treated anesthetically in MVA cases for incomplete abortion. We also carried out an operational research by first determining the interval where our equilibrium constant is included and secondly by means of the ends of the intervals found correlated to the ends of intervals of possible weights and sizes in the being normal human female of childbearing age to arrive at the real numerical value of the equilibrium constant of the BUKAVU Dosage Formula in the case of anesthesia for MVA during the management of incomplete abortions. Results: TWO-STAGE OPERATIONAL RESEARCH: • Determination of the interval where the equilibrium constant x = −0.95 x x by crossing the means between the extremes of volumes of anesthetic drugs giving a satisfactory sensory block without hemodynamic disturbance and the extremes of normal weight and height for women of childbearing age. We ended up with X = 0.37. Conclusion: At the end of our study which had the general objectives of contributing to the improvement of the anesthetic PEC of patients receiving MVA for incomplete abortion and specific objectives of describing the methodology used for adoption of the dosage formula in Anesthesia for MVA and present the mathematical demonstration which resulted in the dosage formula in nesthesia for MVA, it appears that the dosage formula of Bukavu, in case of intrathecal spinal analgesia of MVA for incomplete abortion provides precision on the specificity of the doses of bipuvacaine hypobarre 0.1% and Fentanyl 50 µg% reported to each patient according to her weight and height. Its application could therefore reduce morbidity and mortality and improve patient-practitioner comfort in the event of MVA for incomplete abortion following the dosage precision it provides.

Studies on GA_3 Spraying Dosage for eui TGMS Rice Changxuan 3S in Its Hybrid Seed Production

[Objective] Changxuan 3S was thermo-sensitive genicmale sterile（TGMS）rice selected from irradiated seeds of Peiai 64S by 350 Gy^（60）Coγ-ray.The aim of the study was to confirm GA3 spraying dosage of Changxuan 3S with eui gene in its hybrid seed production.[Method] Changxuan 3S possessing eui gene and its parent Peiai 64S were chosen as materials.Comparison studies on sensitivity to GA3 in their hybrid seed production were carried out.[Result] The suitable stage for spraying GA3 in the hybrid seed production of Changxuan 3S was at 10% of panicles headed;The optimal dosage was 90 g/hm2 with 2 split sprayings,the first spraying of 45 g/hm2 at heading of 10% panicles and the second one of 45 g/hm2 on the following day.Under the condition of spraying GA3 at the rate of 90 g/hm2,the panicle neck exsertions of Changxuan 3S was ＋1.78 cm,and exserted stigma rate and seed setting rate of Changxuan 3S were 96.87% and 36.44%,being 21.46% and 16.33% more than those of Peiai 64S,respectively.The theoretical yield of ＂Changxuan 3S/9311＂ reached 2 931.90 kg/hm2,which was increased by 1 259.40 kg/hm2 comparing with ＂Peiai 64S/9311＂.[Conclusion] Compared with Peiai 64S,Changxuan 3S is more sensitive to GA3,which results in no or little using GA3 in seed production of Changxuan 3S.Moreover,Changxuan 3S showed higher yield potential than Peiai 64S.

Modulation of postoperative immune and inflammatory response by immune-enhancing enteral diet in gastrointestinal cancer patients

AIM: To evaluate if the administration of an enteral diet supplemented with glutamine, arginine and omega-3-fatty acids modulates inflammatory and immune responses after surgery. METHODS: A prospective randomized double-blind, clinical trial was performed. Forty-eight patients with gastrointestinal cancer were randomized into two groups, one group was given an isocaloric and isonitrogenous standard diet and the other was fed with the supplemented diet with glutamine, arginine and omega-3-fatty acids. Feedings were started within 48 hours after operation, and continued until day 8. All variables were measured before operation and on postoperative day 1 and 8. Immune responses were determined by phagocytosis ability, respiratory burst of polymorphonuclear cells, total lymphocytes lymphocyte subsets, nitric oxide, cytokines concentration, and inflammatory responses by plasma levels of C-reactive protein, prostaglandin E2 level. RESULTS: Tolerance of both formula diets was excellent.There were significant differences in the immunological and inflammatory responses between the two groups. In supplemented group, phagocytosis and respiratory burst after surgery was higher and C-reactive protein level was lower (P【0.01) than in the standard group. The supplemented group had higher levels of nitric oxide, total lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, T-helper cells, and NK cells. Postoperative levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were lower in the supplemented group (P 【0.05). CONCLUSION: It was clearly established in this trial that early postoperative enteral feeding is safe in patients who have undergone major operations for gastrointestinal cancer. Supplementation of enteral nutrition with glutamine, arginine, and omega-3-fatty acids positively modulated postsurgical immunosuppressive and inflammatory responses.

Combination of "low-dose" ribavirin and interferon alfa-2a therapy followed by interferon alfa-2a monotherapy in chronic HCV-infected nonresponders and relapsers after interferon alfa-2a monotherapy

AIM To report on the efficacy, safety and tolerability of interferon alfa-2a combined with a "low dose" of ribavirin for relapsers and non responders to alpha interferon monotherapy.METHODS Thirty-four chronic hepatitis C virus-infected non-responders to interferon alfa2a monotherapy (a course of at least 3 months treatment) and 13 relapsers to interferon alfa 2a monotherapy (a dose of 3 to 6 million units three times per week for at least 20 weeks but not more than 18 months) were treated with the same dose of interferon alfa-2a used before (3 to 6 million units three times per week) and ribavirin (10 mg/ kg daily) for 6 months. In complete responders, interferon alfa-2a was administered for further 6 months at the same dose used before as monotherapy.RESULTS Seven (20.6%) of 34 non-responders stopped the combined therapy due to adverse events, including two patients with histological and clinical Child A cirrhosis. In 17/27 (63%)non-responders, the combined therapy was stopped after three months because of non-response. Ten of the 27 non-responders completed the 1;2-month treatment course. At a mean follow up of 28 months (16- 37 months)after the treatment, 4/10 (15%) previous non-responders still remained complete responders,All 13 previous relapsers completed the 12-month treatment course. At a mean follow up of 22months (9 - 36 months) after treatment, 6/13(46%) the previous relapsers were stillsustained complete responders.CONCLUSION Our treatment schedule of the combined therapy for 6 months of interferon alfa2a with a low dose of ribavirin (10 mg/kg/day)followed by 6 months of interferon alfa-2amonotherapy is able to induce a sustainedcomplete response rate in 15% of non-responders and 46% of relapsers with chronic hepatitis C virus-related liver diseases comparable to those obtained with the standarddoses of ribavirin 1000 - 1200 mg/day.Randomized prospective controlled trials using lower total amounts of ribavirin in combination with interferon should be performed.

Biosorption of Cd (Ⅱ) and Pb (Ⅱ) Ions by Aqueous Solutions of Novel Alkalophillic Streptomyces VITSVK5 spp. Biomass

Discharge of heavy metals from metal processing industries is known to have adverse effects on the environment.Bio-sorption of heavy metals by metabolically inactive biomass of microbial organisms is an innovative and alternative technology for removal of these pollutants from aqueous solution.The search of marine actinobacteria with potential heavy metal biosorption ability resulted in the identification of a novel alkalophilic Streptomyces VITSVK5 species.The biosorption property of Streptomyces VITSVK5 spp.was investigated by absorbing heavy metals Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb).Physiochemical characteristics and trace metal concentration analysis of the backwater showed the concentrations of different metals were lead 13±2.1 μg L-1,cadmium 3.1±0.3μg L-1,zinc 8.4±2.6μg L-1 and copper 0.3±0.1μg L-1,whereas mercury was well below the detection limit.The effect of pH and biomass dosage on removal efficiency of heavy metal ions was also investigated.The optimum pH for maximal biosorption was 4.0 for Cd (II) and 5.0 for Pb (II) with 41% and 84% biosorption respectively.The biosorbent dosage was optimized as 3 g L-1 for both the trace metals.Fourier transform infrared absorption spectrum results indicated the chemical interactions of hydrogen atoms in carboxyl (–COOH),hydroxyl (–CHOH) and amine (–NH2) groups of biomass with the metal ions.This could be mainly involved in the biosorption of Cd (II) and Pb (II) onto Streptomyces VITSVK5 spp.The results of our study revealed Streptomyces metabolites could be used to develop a biosorbent for adsorbing metal ions from aqueous environments.

Treatment of malignant digestive tract obstruction by combined intraluminal stent installation and intra-arterial drug infusion

AIM: To study the palliative treatment of malignant obstruction of digestive tract with placement of intraluminal stent combined with intra-arterial infusion of chemotherapeutic drugs. METHODS: A total of 281 cases of digestive tract malignant obstruction were given per oral (esophagus, stomach, duodenum and jejunum), per anal (colon and rectum) and percutaneous transhepatic (biliary) installation of metallic stent. Among them, 203 cases received drug infusion by cannulation of tumor supplying artery with Seldinger's technique. RESULTS: Altogether 350 stents were installed in 281 cases, obstructive symptoms were relieved or ameliorated after installation. Occurrence of restenotic obstruction was 8-43 weeks among those with intra-arterial drug infusion, which was later than 4-26 weeks in the group with only stent installation. The average survival time of the former group was 43 (3-105) weeks, which was significantly longer than 13 (3-24) weeks of the latter group. CONCLUSION: Intraluminal placement of stent combined with intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy is one of the effective palliative therapies for malignant obstruction of the digestive tract with symptomatic as well as etiological treatment.

Risk factors of hyperprolactinemia induced by risperidone and olanzapine and their correlations with plasma glucose and lipids

Background Hyperprolactinemia is a common adverse reaction in patients with schizophrenia who take antipsychotic drugs;it often leads to treatment noncompliance in patients and has an adverse effect on their prognosis.Aims This study aimed to explore the risk factors of elevated prolactin(PRL)caused by risperidone(RIS)and olanzapine(OLZ)and the relationship between PRL and fasting plasma glucose and lipids.Methods Patients with schizophrenia were divided into two groups:264 patients who were taking RIS and 175 patients who were taking OLZ.These two groups were further divided according to serum PRL levels:an elevated PRL group(>30ng/mL)and a normal PRL group(PRL<30ng/mL).The demographics,medication dosage,fasting plasma glucose,total cholesterol and triglycerides were compared in the two groups.Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the risk factors of elevated PRL levels.Results Compared with the OLZ group,the RIS group had a greater number of patients with elevated PRL(155/264 vs 58/175).Either the RIS or the OLZ group,the proportion of elevated PRL was greater in female patients(RIS:x^2=6.76,p=0.009;OLZ:x^2=12.98,p<0.001)and with higher doses of the related drugs(RIS:U=-3.73,p<0.001;OLZ:U=-2.31,p=0.021).In patients taking RIS,the elevated PRL subgroup took the drug for a longer period(U=-2.76,p=0.006)and had lower triglyceride levels(U=2.76,p=0.006).In patients taking OLZ,the elevated PRL subgroup had lower fasting plasma glucose levels(U=2.29,p=0.022).Logistic regression analysis showed that gender,dose and fasting glucose levels were significantly associated with elevated PRL levels(RIS:p=0.001,OLZ:p<0.001;RIS:p<0.001;OLZ:p=0.003;RIS:p=0.020,OLZ:p=0.001,respectively).Conclusion Compared with OLZ,RIS had a greater effect on PRL in patients with schizophrenia,and in patients with schizophrenia taking RIS or OLZ,gender and dose were significantly correlated with the PRL value.Moreover,the plasma glucose level of the group with elevated PRL was lower than that of the group with normal PRL.The results also showed that high serum PRL may be associated with a favourable glucose metabolic profile in patients with schizophrenia taking RIS or OLZ.Further studies are warranted to confirm this association.

Effects of urea-N fertilizer dosage supplemented with Ipil-Ipil tree litter on yield of rice and insect prevalence

The present study was undertaken to determine the effects of different levels of urea-N fertilizer in addition to ipil-ipil tree litter on yield of rice and insect prevalence. The field study was conducted at the Agroforestry Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during July-December 2004. The treatments included 0, 90, 180, and 270 kg urea per hectare. All four treatments received five tons ipil-ipil tree litter per hectare. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design （RCBD） with four replications. The results showed that the different treatments significantly influenced the yield and yield component viz. total tillers/hill, effective tillers/hill, filled grains and unfilled grains/panicle. The highest yield of 4.62 t·h^m-2 with an increase of 21.57% over the control was recorded in treatment 180 kg urea·h^m-2, which was statistically similar to treatment 90 kg urea·h^m-2. The prevalence of insects viz. green leafhopper, brown plant hopper, rice bugs, leaf folder and stem borers were mostly correlated with N-levels. The prevalence of insects in general gradu- ally increased with the increase of N. Therefore, this study suggests that the combined application of organic materials （tree litter of ipil-ipil） and N-fertilizer of 90 kg·h^m-2 may oroduce good yield while minimizine insect arevalence in the rice field.

Dose-dependent effects of apple pectin on alleviating high fat-induced obesity modulated by gut microbiota and SCFAs

Recently,pectin has been used as an alternative for commercial prebiotic products to modulate gut microbiota.In this study,the standard diet(Chow group)and high fat diet containing 0%(HF group),1%,3%,5%,8% or 12%(m/m)apple pectin(HF-P group)were offered ad libitum for 8 weeks to 4-week C57BL/6J mice(n=10/group).Results showed that body weight gain(R^(2)=–0.990),subcutaneous adipose accumulation(R^(2)=–0.930),serum triglyceride elevation(R_(2)=–0.879),acetate(R^(2)=0.955)and propionate concentration reduction(R2=0.985)were suppressed by pectin from 1% to 12%,indicating dose response to pectin consumption.Moreover,abundance of obesity-related bacteria Coriobacteriaceae,and pectin-degradating bacteria,Faecalibaculum,Ruminococcus were significantly increased with pectin dosage increased,and the R^(2) were 0.936,0.963 and 0.937,respectively.Besides,attenuations for colonic injury and liver steatosis were observed after adding 5% and 8% pectin,respectively.This study confirmed the dose-sensitive manner of pectin to alleviate HF-induced obesity by modulating gut microbiota and enhancing short-chain fatty acids production.

New approaches to identification and characterization of tioconazole in raw material and in pharmaceutical dosage forms

Tioconazole(TCZ), a broad-spectrum antifungal agent, has significant activity against Candida albicans and other Candida species, and therefore, it is indicated for the topical treatment of superficial mycoses.The main goal of this work is to report an exhaustive identification and characterization procedure to improve and facilitate the online quality control and continuous process monitoring of TCZ in bulk material and loaded in two different dosage forms: ovules and nail lacquer. The methodologies were based on thermal(differential scanning calorimetry(DSC), melting point, and thermogravimetry(TG)),spectroscopic(ultraviolet(UV), Raman, near infrared(NIR), infrared spectroscopy coupled to attenuated total reflectance(FTIR-ATR), and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)), microscopic and X-ray diffraction(XRD). The TCZ bulk powder showed a high crystallinity, as observed by XRD, with a particles size distribution(3–95 mm) resolved by microscopic measurements. TCZ melting point(82.8 °C) and a degradation peak centered at 297.8 °C were obtained by DSC and DTG, respectively. An unambiguous structure elucidation of TCZ was obtained by mono-and two-dimensional1 H and13 C NMR spectral data analysis. The FTIR-ATR, Raman and NIR spectra of both the raw material and the commercial products were analyzed and their characteristic bands were tabulated. The best methods for TCZ identification in ovules were DSC, TG, XRD, NIR and Raman, while NIR and FTIR-ATR were the most appropriate techniques to analyze it in the nail lacquer. DSC, TG, DRX, Raman, FTIR-ATR and NIR spectroscopy are effective techniques to be used in online process analysis, because they do not require sample preparation, and they are considerably sensitive to analyze complex samples.

Doubled dosage of sofosbuviris expected for inhibiting Zika virus infection

Sofosbuvir is a new antiviral drug that has been recommended for management of hepatitis C virus (HCV) for a few years. New researches support that sofosbuvir might he useful for the management of Zika virus infection. Based on the pharmacological activity, inhibiting the HCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp or NS5 protein). sofosbuvir is proposed for its effectiveness against Zika virus infection. Here, the authors used a mathematical modelling theoretical approach to predict the expected dosage of sofosbuvir for inhibiting Zika virus infection. Based on the modeling study, if sofosbuvir is assigned for management of Zika virus. infection, doubled dosage of the present dosage for hepatitis C management is recommended.